Hiring Your First Employee Checklist (UK)
Are you a UK entrepreneur or small business owner ready to grow your team? Maybe you’re at the stage where doing everything yourself is no longer sustainable, and you know it’s time to bring someone in. But hiring your first employee can feel overwhelming:
-
❌ What if you miss a crucial legal step?
-
❌ What if you don’t know what documents you need?
-
❌ What if you hire the wrong person and it costs you time, money, and stress?
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many business owners feel exactly the same way when they make their very first hire. That’s why I created the Hiring Your First Employee Checklist — to make the process simple, clear, and stress-free.
What this checklist includes
This practical UK HR checklist walks you step by step through:
-
✅ The strategy behind your first hire — making sure you’re recruiting the right role at the right time
-
✅ The legal essentials you MUST have in place to stay compliant with UK employment law
-
✅ The documents you’ll need (including contracts, right to work checks, payroll, and policies)
-
✅ How to advertise and interview fairly so you don’t trip up legally
-
✅ What to do after the job offer, including onboarding and setting your new hire up for success
Why this checklist is different
There are plenty of generic lists out there — but this one has been created by me, Mandy Hamerla, award-winning HR Director and Leadership Mentor, with over 18 years of experience helping UK businesses hire and manage teams.
This isn’t theory. It’s the exact framework I’ve used with hundreds of entrepreneurs and SMEs to grow teams the right way. It’s written in plain English, so you can follow it without jargon or confusion.
Who it’s for
This checklist is perfect for you if you are:
-
A founder or entrepreneur ready to make your very first hire
-
A small business owner who’s unsure what the legal obligations are when hiring staff in the UK
-
A startup leader who wants a simple, no-fluff guide to avoid expensive mistakes
What you’ll gain
By the end of this checklist, you’ll:
-
Feel confident you’ve covered all the legal and compliance basics
-
Save time by following a clear, step-by-step process instead of piecing it together from Google
-
Have peace of mind knowing you’re setting your first employee up for success
Take the stress and uncertainty out of hiring your first employee. With this checklist, you’ll know exactly what to do, in the right order, and avoid the costly mistakes that trip up so many small businesses.
